Depending on the exercise, condition, medical history, etc, we will sometimes recommend that folks do physical therapy every day, or not. So, how do you know if you should do physical therapy every day?
In most cases, you can do physical therapy every day, but whether you should depends on your injury, goals, and how your body responds to physical therapy exercises. Daily movement often helps recovery, but the right frequency should be guided by a physical therapist and tailored to your exercise program.
In this article, we’ll discuss why we sometimes recommend folks not to do physical therapy every day, and when we would.
Can you do physical therapy every day safely?
Short answer: yes, you typically can, but most people don’t need to.
The reason for this lies in a topic we’ve covered on our site before: the Stimulus-Recovery-Adaptation (SRA) cycle.
The SRA cycle basically states that our exercise (in this case physical therapy strengthening and/or stability work) creates a stimulus that the body then has to recover from – which takes time!
In other words, most people who are engaged in resistance activity won’t have received the benefits of that activity within 24 hours, and therefore it wouldn’t make sense for them to try and complete that activity again the next day.
Which exercises CAN be done every day and see a benefit?
As we’ve outlined in our articles on how long it takes to improve flexibility / mobility, it can be more beneficial to put mobility training and/or flexibility training into effect daily.
This is because the improvements we get from mobility training aren’t the result of micro-tearing of the musculature and connective tissue the way our strength and stability work is doing.
What about our “daily” Home Exercise Program (HEP)?
Many of our patients will be scratching their heads at this point, wondering why we’ve repeatedly told them in the clinic that they need to complete their daily Home Exercise Programs to see the fastest progress.
You would be right to raise this point. Here’s the reason we still think you should complete your HEP:
Your physical therapy Home Exercise Program generally consists of gentle stretching, mobility, and (some) strengthening work done at an intensity that doesn’t require extra equipment, special skills, or the watchful eye of a therapist. This HEP is designed to support your recovery, promote blood flow and mobility, and help you recover faster. It’s not the whole treatment program.
Should you do physical therapy every day or take rest days?
While the most straightforward path to learnign this information would be to simply discuss it with your physical therapist, we’ll probide a few guidelines below as to whether you should do physical therapy every day:
1) Your injury or condition
Different injuries respond differently to frequency.
- Acute injuries (like strains or sprains) often benefit from gentle daily movement but limited intensity.
- Chronic conditions (like back pain or arthritis) usually improve with regular, controlled exercise.
- Post-surgical rehab often follows a structured schedule with alternating intensity days.
Our customers often ask whether pushing through soreness is a good idea. The answer is usually: it depends on the type of soreness and the stage of healing.
2) Your treatment plan
A proper treatment plan is not just a list of exercises—it’s a strategy.
A well-designed plan might include:
- Daily mobility or posture work
- Strength exercises 2–4 times per week
- Light recovery sessions on off days
If you’re following a structured program, daily activity can make sense – but not daily max effort. In this case, we recommend following the guidelines set out by your physical therapist. It’s common for patients to severly overdo it when left to their own devices!
3) How your body responds
Your body gives feedback every day. Learning to listen to your body is one of the most important rehab skills you can develop.
Signs daily physical therapy may be helping:
- Gradual improvement in pain or mobility
- Mild soreness that fades within 24 hours
- Increased confidence in movement
Signs you may need to scale back:
- Pain that worsens over time
- Persistent swelling or stiffness
- Fatigue that doesn’t improve with rest
We often tell our patients that progress isn’t linear—some ups and downs are normal, but constant decline is not.
Physical therapy exercises: daily vs. targeted frequency
Not all physical therapy exercises are created equal.
Exercises that are often safe to do daily
These are typically low-intensity and prevent stiffness:
- Gentle stretching
- Postural correction drills
- Light mobility work
- Breathing or relaxation exercises
For example, routines like daily physical therapy exercises for a healthy back are designed to be done frequently without overwhelming your system.
Exercises that usually need rest days
These stress muscles and tissues more heavily:
- Progressive strength training
- Plyometric or high-impact movements
- Heavy resistance exercises
How often do physical therapists actually recommend?
There’s no universal rule, but here’s a realistic framework many physical therapists use:
- Daily: light mobility, posture, and low-intensity movement
- 3–5 times per week: moderate strengthening exercises
- 1–3 times per week: high-intensity or progressive overload training
If you want a more detailed breakdown of frequency, check out our article on how often you should do physical therapy.
